News

There’s a bit of good news today regarding graduation rates for high schoolers. The Michigan Center for Educational Performance and Information reports that graduation rates increased by seven-tenths of a percentage point in 2013, compared to 2012. Overall, the graduation rate in 2013 was 76.96 %. In addition, the dropout …

The Michigan Department of Human Services has announced a reform initiative that it says will positively impact child welfare services across the state, specifically foster care and adoption services. The fundamental change will ensure that just one agency provider will manage the case for a child from beginning to end, …

Michigan lawmakers voted to repeal a state law requiring county sheriff’s to “locate and kill” unlicensed dogs. The state Senate voted yesterday to approve legislation that eliminates the requirement that sheriffs kill unlicensed dogs and that county treasurers deliver a list of unlicensed dogs to the director of the state …

Lots of business getting done at the Houghton City Council meeting last night. A public hearing for the DNR Trust Fund Grant Application regarding a piece of property on 7th Avenue near Franklin Road was scheduled for March 12th and City Manager Eric Waara says plans are already in place …

The CopperDog 150 will kick-off tomorrow and go on throughout the weekend, but it isn’t the only thing going. Downtown Calumet will be full of events and activities on Saturday including the first-ever Doghouse race. To participate in the Doghouse Race, you must construct a doghouse following the Doghouse Race …

A Michigan House committee has approved a measure to make it easier for at-risk school districts to offer year-round classes. Year round classes have been allowed in Michigan for years, but this pilot program would create a ten-million dollar fund for poor districts to tap into, for air conditioning and …

More than 1 million Michigan homeowners could qualify for down payment assistance of up to $7,500 toward the purchase of a new or existing home through a new program launched by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority. MSHDA Executive Director Scott Woosley says the MI Next Home program targets existing …

The proposal in Lansing to immediately spend 100 million dollars extra for winter road maintenance for local governments has been increased, at the expense of some Medicaid-related dollars. The Republican controlled House Appropriations Committee has changed language in the bill, and has increased the spending to 215 million dollars. In …

Cautious consumers and lingering bitter cold and snow are being blamed for a significant decline in retail sales in Michigan last month, and seriously dampening expectations for the entire year ahead, based on new survey results from the Michigan Retailers Association. According to the M-R-A’s January “Michigan Retail Index,” 46% …

All the votes are in and the Dollar Bay-Tamarack City School District has approved the 10-year renewal of the district’s base operating millage that would bring $18 million to the district. According to the Houghton County Clerk, 70 voted “yes” and 22 voted “no”. If the millage had not been …